Undefeated
by Almi Melwen
Summary: AU. Broken by the woman he thought would become his wife, James no longer finds girls worth his time not even seemingly shy Lily Evans, who could change the way he thinks about everything, that is ... if he let her.
1. The Proposal

**Author's Note:** New story, _Elusive_ hasn't been abandoned though. New chapter for _Elusive_ will be up by the end of this week (aiming for Wednesday or Thursday).

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**Undefeated**

**Prologue: Broken**

Golden from the last rays of the sunlight, and beautiful as always, he spotted her sitting on their tree. It was the beginning of the last school year for both of them. The ancient majestic tree was bigger than the others surrounding it. Its gold, red, and yellow leaves spanned an impressive range.

Palms sweaty, one hand raking through untamed jet black hair with the other hand in his pocket, were signs he was nervous. Despite the turmoil he felt, James Potter walked with long confident strides towards his girl. One very special girl that he hoped he'd be able to claim as his forever. She was beautiful, smart, kind, everything that he could ever want.

The wind was soft and gentle, blowing her loose hair away from her shoulders. She clutched her robe closer to her. She hated autumn and winter because they forced her to wear more practical, warmer clothing rather than the skimpy outfits that showed off her figure. She saw him approaching and gave him a wicked smile. She had been waiting for months for this exact moment.

James reached her, wrapping his arms around in as a greeting. "Hey love," he said warmly, his hazel eyes sparkling at her.

"Hi lover," she grinned.

He faltered for just a second at the very intimate nickname, but his smile returned full force. James swallowed, hoping he would get this exactly right. He dropped to one knee and pulled out a velvet black box and opened it in front of her.

"You're beautiful, wonderful, and everything I could ever want in a girl. I've never been in love with anyone else as I am with you now." He kept his gaze on her face, watching her reaction. He marveled that she didn't seem the least bit surprised at his proposal, but he continued anyways. Maybe she had guessed from his nervousness the past couple weeks. "Will you, Melina Shay Lyreranth, marry me?"

The diamond caught the autumn light and sparkled brilliantly. James waited for her response, wondering whether she was too caught up in the moment to answer. Just when his knee began to ache and he didn't think his poor heart could take the suspense, she laughed cruelly.

Plucking the ring from the box, she waved it in front of him like a worthless trinket. "What ever made you think I loved you? Was it my whispered words of reassurance when we were in bed? Or maybe our long walks in which you poured your heart out to me and I just blandly put up with it, tuning you out? Or maybe you thought you won me over with your pathetic late night sneaking out around this boring castle?" Her high heels, definitely inappropriate and uncomfortable in the damp grass, sprinkled with morning dew, sank into the wet ground slightly, making puckering sounds as she walked away from him. She called back to him before she was out of his hearing range. "Oh, by the way James darling," her voice was full of contempt, "you were a terrible shag while it lasted. Hope you don't mind me keeping this as a souvenir!"

Melina laughed at him again, tucking the ring away in a pocket. She had bested James Potter after all.

He watched as the love…ex-love of his life walk away from him so coldly.

James's heart shattered.


	2. Enter Lily Evans

**Author's Note: This isn't meant to be a long story (hopefully :P). I'm still working on the others.**

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**Chapter 2**

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Why? That was the one question that repeated itself in his mind. There had been no hints she was unhappy. If anything she had encouraged advances in their relationship. 

James trudged back to the school, focusing on keeping one foot in front of the other, not bothering to keep his eyes ahead. A prickling sensation in his eyes made he realize he was on the brink of tears and he angrily forced them back. She had just laughed! Laughed as if she relished hurting him…which she probably did, James bitterly surmised.

A hard brush against his shoulder caused him to look up at the person he had collided into. Her things tumbled to the ground as did the girl.

"_Omph_," she gasped unintentionally, as she fell to the ground with the momentum of the impact. She frowned; looking put out as her parchments flew in various directions and began to soak up the dew. She had worked hard on those. Her vibrant dark eyes narrowed in annoyance at the perpetrator.

"Sorry," James mumbled, catching her gaze for only a second before bending down to help her collect her parchment.

Lily pushed herself off the ground, shaking off the dew from her clothes and huffed at his rudeness. He could have offered a hand to help her up, but instead he went for her papers. She let it pass – at least he was helping her. It wasn't entirely his fault she had fallen either.

He handed her the final piece before turning towards the castle. Lily caught a slight glistening in his eye that could only be from unshed tears. Instead of heading towards the lake like she originally intended, she made a quick decision, and hurried to catch up to James's retreating figure.

"Hey wait!" she called out behind him. He didn't even look back at her, causing Lily to frown. "Gr…boys," she groused under her breath, jogging the last few feet to walk next to him. "Thanks for the help."

He shrugged, shoving his hands into the pocket of his robes. "Not a big deal."

Lily could sense his dismissal, but she ignored it. "So what's wrong with you?" she asked, trying to keep her breath steady. He was walking faster than she could keep up with at a normal pace. Inconsiderate prat, but something wasn't right. If anything, his gentlemanly behavior was renowned if Bertha Jorkins's gossip was to be believed. Then again, Bertha had also said James was a marvelous kisser from firsthand experience.

James gave her a sharp look laced with annoyance. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing." She smiled cheekily. "But as your fellow Head, I thought it would be common curtsey for me to have a leg up on the gossip competition that's sure to follow your broken-hearted look into the Great Hall."

Lily couldn't tell whether he was amused at her cheeky humor or annoyed. Maybe it was both.

James's face searched hers (for what she wasn't sure) while he continued his brisk walk, finally reaching the doors to the great castle. "Aren't you supposed to be shy?"

She laughed. "Says who?" Lily noted that he didn't open the door for her, instead leaving her to fend for herself to prop the heavy door open. She didn't let it bother her. There was obviously something wrong with him.

"You never really say anything. I don't see you in the Great Halls for meals very often nor Hogsmeade during the weekends. No one I've talked to can ever tell me where you are when there's Head business to attend to." He ticked off the reasons on his fingers.

"Should I be flattered that you've obviously gone to great lengths to find such detailed information about me?" She batted her eyelashes at him, her voice light with sarcasm. "Especially when you have a girlfriend too." She pretended to sound scandalized and amazed.

James flinched.

Lily didn't miss the action and dropped the teasing. "Ah, I see. Girl problems then Potter?"

He whirled around, staring hard at her, his fists clenched, and mouth set in a furious scowl. "And you would know about that wouldn't you? You birds are all the same – get what you want and then you leave. You think it's some sort of game and it makes me sick."

Lily wisely chose not to comment that the particular stereotype he was referring to was more commonly used to describe blokes.

"Why don't you mind your own damn business Evans! You were always good at being invisible. Don't let your best trait go to waste," he snarled before storming off.

She sighed. And she thought she had problems.


End file.
